The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-01-14

/ seen coming over tue Stlle leaulng TO
the school-grounds. AS she left the
step there was a rattle of keys and the
door swung back, revealing Mr.. Swa-
zee standing just within. Had he heard2
My cheeks burned as I crossed the
Threshold. When I had mustered
courage to lift my eyes they encount-
cred an amused sparkle in his, and
leaning toward me he said, in low
tone:
''Do not be troubled for me, Miss
Alternately, | guard my heart with
special care this winter"
I gazed up at him while he was
speaking, my cheeks growing hotter
and hotter. and then turned and fed
to my room, closing the door after me.
Fortunately, there were no pupils pres
ent. flung myself into chair and
broke into passionate sobs. Had he
suspected my love? If not. what meant
that look of mingled comprehension
and amusement in his eyes? Would
he think me fussing, meddling busy
bodyP With such questions did /
torment myself 1t was with difficulty
that could calm myself in time for the
| days duties. / was scarcely conscious
of what [ did. l was brought to my
senses a short time before noon by the
piping of shrill voice in far corner.
1t belonged to a very audacious but
very well-intentioned small boy.
Teacher" it said, ''we're actin up
awful to-day you don't care, do you !?
Mollie Embers says you've got the
contumshun to-day and don't care a
shoestring if we pull the roof down"
CHANGING up, wide awake now, 1 saw
the little man standing in the aisle with
paper cap on his head, and clinging
to his arm was a very young lady
arrayed in hat and shawl.
"What were you and Mollie about to
dc ?" inquired.
Owes just married. Bob Finnegan,
he married us, and Yves goin' off on
our wedding trip"
" And where did you get your we'd
ding clothes?" l asked, with the great
est gravity.
"Oh, we got engaged at recess, and
we brought in the shawl and things
when the bell rungI'
Again after the close of the school /
watched for Mr.. Swazee's step on the
stair. If only the other teachers
would go first! They did. AS he was
descending the steps / left my door
and advanced to the balustrade.
:" Mr.. Swazee," I said, evil you
enter my room moment?"
g Certainly, Miss Abernathy.''
could not look up. He walked in
before me, and / closed the door, gave
him chair and seated myself on
another.
81 purpose rendering my resigna-
ton to the school-board tonight, and
I wished to tell you," I said.
" You will resign-what?" he asked,
with aggravating suavity.
+" My position as teacher, of course"
| jerked out, nervously.
" Would it not be well to wait until
the end of the school yearP That is
now near, you know. | had thought
of asking you to resign then"
" You had-you had thought
thought of asking-what can you
know of my work? You never come
to observe it" l said, incoherently.
"Will you not wait until the end of
the term?" he inquired, suavely.
"No, will not. l will resign to-
day."
1.-The board will expect you to assign
some reason. May l ask what reason
you will giye?"
ut will be reason enough that
you wish it," l said, bitterly. My
hands trembling violently lay one over
the other on the desk before me. He
rose and advancing placed his right
hand upon mine. | shall never forget
the electric shock of the contact, but
said, haughtily:
"Do not touch men'
GAS you please about that" he said,
removing his hand, "but would you
like to know why ask you to resign?'
Something new had stolen into his
voice. 1t was no longer marked by
stately courtesy or calm suavity. There
| was in it tremor of excitement and
anxiety. Il was as if an actor had
dropped the personality of another to
put on his real self. I glanced upward
for the first time. What I saw in his
eyes routed the remnant of my self
control. My eyeIds dropped, my
cheeks burned, my heart beat like a
drum badly played. could not reply
to his question.
sit was that you might accept
another position that / meditated re-
questing your resignation, one not well
paid in money, but rich in apprecia-
ton, in tenderness. Do not turn from
me, but hear. AS teacher I have
made it my rule to show least kindness
to my bestowed pupil, to be most
gentle to the least loved-a sort of COM
pensatory justice that eases my con-
science wonderfully. Well, it seemed
almost as ignoble to have favorite
teacher as a favorite pupil. Do you I'M
derstand me now? How I have longed
for the sound of your voice, the light of
your presence, the touch of your
fingers! But [ have denied myself the
pleasures that l deemed incompat-
ible with strict fulfllment of duty.
meant to wait until the end of the
school year and then ask you to be my
wife. | did not know that you suffered
that you Inexperienced me. /
thought one burning glance that l gave
you-it was during the progress of
your first model lesson, a glance under
which your eyes dropped and your
cheeks gloNved-had placed us on
footing of mutual understan ding. How
could you believe that I moderated
your work as a teacherp / do not
know your superior. l should not pre-
sumo to meddle with the work of yorr